Engine-starting apparatus



Feb. 22 1927 1,618,858

z. c. BRADFORD ENQINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed Ma 15. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 if 2 v M Feb. 22 1927. 1,618,858

z. ci. BRADFORD ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

ZERBE C. BRADFORD, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIG NOR- TO THE DAYTON ENGINEERING LABORATORIES COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

-ENGINESTARTING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 15, 1925. Serial No. 39,519. I v

This invention relates to apparatus for starting internal combustion engines and, particularly, to improvements in the type of apparatus which comprises an electric motor, a gear operated by the motor and adapted to be moved into mesh witha gear connected with the engine to be started. The gear is connected with the electric motor by a mechanismwhich automatically completes the meshing of the gears by the rotation of the motor after the gears have once been brought into engagement. the connecting mechanism being arranged motor operated gear to be moved out of mesh with the engine gear after the engine starts.

The objects of the invention include simplification of the construction of this type of starting apparatus in order to reduce the cost of manufacture. Further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are side views partially in section of starting apparatus embodying a form of the invention and showing the appa-' ratus in different stages of operation;

Fig. 4 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is. a side view of the pedal operated lever;

f ILig. 6 is a side view of the pinion shifting or 3 Fig. 7 is a side view of the latch for engaging the pinion shifting fork and Fig. 8 is a side view of one of the latch carrying members.

Referring to the drawings, the field frame of an electric motor is designated by numeral 20, and numerals, 21 and 22 indicate the end frames which are secured to the field frame by bolts 23 and nuts 24. Frames 21 and 22 provide bearings for supporting the motor armature shaft 25 which is provided with splines 26 which are oblique to the axis of the shaft 25. Shaft 25 is threaded at 27 to receive the nut 28 which serves as a stop for a gear 29 which is internally broached to re- I ceive the, splines 26.

The hub of gear 29 is connected with a rooved collar 30 which is engaged by-the ends 31 of a bifurcated shifting lever 32 which is pivotally supported by a bolt 33 ,attached to a bracket 34, integral with the end frame 21, by a nut 35. The bifurcationsalso to cause the,

of the lever 32 are joined together by a yoke portion 36 and a stud 37. The stud 37 operates with a latch plate 38 having a notch 39 for engaging the stud 37. Plate 38 is provided with a hole 40 for receiving a screw 41 which provides a pivotal connection between the plate 38 and two latch carrying levers 42 having holes 43 for receiving the screw 41 which is secured. by a nut 44. 'The'hole 45 in levers 42 receives the screw 33 which provides a pivotal support for the levers 42. Latch plate 38 carries a stud 46 which coop erates with a cam 47 formed integrally with the bracket 34. Plate 38 is provided with a hole 48 for 'recelving a spring 49 which connects the plate 38 with an ear 50 provided by the pedal operated lever 51. Lever 51 is provided with a hole 52 for receiving screw 33 which provides a pivot for the lever 51. Relative. motion between the lever 51 and thelatch 38is limited in one direction by the engagement of the screw 41 with a lug 53 provided by the lever 51. Lever 51 is provided with a hole 54 for receiving a pedal rod 55 which extends through the. floor board 56 of-an au- 7 tomobile and is provided at its upper end with a pedal 57. A spring 58 located leetween the floor board 56 and the pedal 57 maintains the lever 51 normallyin the-position shown in Fig. 1..

The operation ofthe motor is controlled 60, comprising a switch case 61 which insulatingly supports a terminal screw 62, thehead63 of which bears by a motor switch against a leaf spring conductor 64 carrying a contact 65. Contact 65 is actuated by a non-conducting plunger 66 into engagement with contact 67 which isinsulatingly supported by a motor field frame 20 and has its lower end" 68 attached to one of the motor field windings not shown. As well known to those skilled in the art, the other end of the field circuit is connected with the insulated brush bearing against the motor commutator, and the brush of opposite polarity is grounded upon themotor frame. Upward movement of the plunger 66 is limited by the engagement with the switch case of a wire split ring 69 which is sprung into a groove provided by the plunger 66. The plunger 66 is located in the path of movement of an arm 59 carried bythe lever 51. I 1

- The manner of operating the starter is as. follows: 1 1.

. Inthis figure it. will beseen. that thislatch I Normally the starter is in. the position shown in Fig. 1. To start the engine the pedal 57 is pressed, causing the lever 51 to move clockwise. Motion from the lever 51 to the latch 38 is imparted through the spring 49. Until after the gear 29 is brought into mesh with the gear 70 of the engine to be started, the latch 38remainsin engage ment with the stud 37. Therefore. clockwise movementof the lever-51 and latch 38 a out the rod 33 will cause the gear 29 to move toward the left' into engagement with the engine gear 70. l f gear tooth. abutment does notoccur, the gear 29 -will bemoved mannally, into-partial engagement with the gear 70. As the latch 38 moves upwardly as viewed in. Fig, 1,. during the downward movement of the pedal 57,. the stud 4G'willhe engaged by-the-cam 47. Since cam 4:7 isstationary,,. relativemovement between the latch .38 andv thelatchcarrying arms 42. will talre place. Therefore the. latch, 38 will he moved out of engagement with the stud This however will not occur until. after meshing of the; gears has begun.

As the lever- 51 is pusheddownwardly the arm 59" will. engage the plunger 66 of the switch 60 and cause the motor circuit" to be closed: by the engagement of. contacts and 67. Then-the motor will turn. the shaft 25. and will thread the gear. 29 into engage mentwiththestop 28 andv into full. enmeshment. with the gear 70. Then the motor will crank theengine through the gears and. af-

ter the engine becomes self-operative. the gear. 29 will be automaticallydemeshed from the gear since the latch. 38- is clearof the; stud 37.

Fig... 2 shows the condition;- of. the starting apparatus during the cranking of, the engine.

38 is clear of the stud 375 so that automatic demeshment may take place, when the engine; becomes selfroperative.

Fig. 3 shows the condition. of the apparatus after the engine has become self-operative and before the operator has released the pedal 5T. As the gear 29 is moved out of mesh automatically toward the right as Viewed in Fig. 3, the-grooved collar 30 will engage the lever 32, and cause it to move counterclockwise. This motion of lever will cause thestud 3.7.110 engage the latch 38 andcause the spring 39 to be stretched more thanshown in Fig.2 andwill cause the stud L6 to be moved slightly away from the cam 47. In this way a. yielding pressure is placed upon the stud 37'by the 1atch'38 producing a friction. between. thesemembers tending to maintain the lever 32 in the position shown in. Fig. 3.

In case of gear tooth abutment which limits the movement of. the gear 29 toward the left (as viewed in the drawings) while the pedal is being depressed the'spri'ng lt-9 permits the lever 51 to he: moved downwardly to close the motor switch 60, in order that the shaft 25 may be turned to bring the teeth of the gear 29 into registry. with. the tooth spaces of the gear 70. then this oc curs the spring 49 will be released in order to pull the gear 29 into mesh with the gear 70.

In *ase the engine should fail to start after gear me hing has been, effected so that the gear 29 might remain in mesh with the gear 70, the mechanism is constructed so that the lever 51 may be released to open the motor switch although the gears 29 and TOn'layremain in engagement as shown in Fig.2. Although the lever 32 willremain in tlieposition shown in Fig. 2 the parts 51, 3'8 and' l2 may return to theposition shown in Fig 1 with the exception that the surface 3i of thelever 38 will rest upon the stud'fBZ. V

Heretofore, in. starting devices of this type, three springs have been found necessary, namely: a spring correspondingto the pedal spring 58, a separate latch spring. and a separate spring for providing a, yielding connection between the pedal and the pinion which will allow the motor switch tobo closed in case of gear tooth abutment. By means of the present inventionthenumber of springs has been reduced. The single spring 58 constitutes the yielding connection referred to and also the spring yieldingly maintaining the latch 38 in..engagement with a part of the gear shifting lever.

lVhile the form of embodimentofthe invention as herein disclosed. constitutes a preferred form, it is to be, understood that other forms might be adopted. all. coming within the scope of the claims which follow lVhat is.claimedv is as follows: 1

l. An engine starter comprising, in combination, an electric motor, meansfonconnesting he motor with. the geanof an engine to be started and comprisinga motor driven gear and provisionsso constructed that operation of the motor completes'cngagement of the gears after meshing of the gears has been started and so that the gears will be demeshed automatically when the engine becomes self-operative, a pedal onerated. member. a. latch, a movable member mcvablv carrying the, latch, a part: con ne'cted with the motor. gear, a spring connecting the latch and, pedal-operated member and normally maintaining the latch in operating connection with said part connected with the gear. a member engaged l-zv the latch to disconnect the letter: from said part after gear meshment has been started.- anda switch operated by the pedal-operated member, said spring yielding in case of gear tooth abutment to permit closing-of the switch before meshing gears.

2. An engine starter comprising, incombination, an electric motor, a shaft having gear-moving member spiral splines operated by the motor, a gear,

adaptedto mesh with an engine gearand slidably connected with said splines, a lever for moving the motor gear and moved by the motor gear, a pedal-operated member, a latch adapted normally to engage a part carried by the lever, a spring connecting the latch and pedal-operated member and urging-the latch toward-said part of the lever, a movable member movably carrying the latch, a stationary cam engaged by a part carried by the latch to disconnectthe latch from the lever by movement of the pedal- 7 operated member, and 'a motor switch operated by the pedal member, said" spring yielding in case'of gear tooth abutment to permit closing the switch before meshing gears.

3. An engine starter comprising, in combination, an electric motor, a shaft having spiral splines operated by the motor, a gear adapted to mesh with an engine gear and" slidably connected with said splines, a pedaloperated lever, a latch-carrying lever, a lever for moving the motor gear and moved by the motor gear, all of said levers being coaxially mounted, a latch pivoted upon the latch carrying lever and adapted to be connected normally with a part carried by the gear-moving lever, a spring connecting the pedal-operated lever and the latch and tending to maintain the latch in engagement with said part of the latch, a cam engaged by a part of the latch during movement thereof to disengage the latch from the gearnioving lever, and a motor switch operated by the pedal member, said spring yielding in case of gear tooth abutment to permit closing the switch before meshing gears.

4:- An engine starter comprising, 111 combination, an electric motor, a shaft having spiral splines operated by the motor, a gear adapted to mesh with an engine gear and slidably connected with saidsplines, a mem-. her for moving the gear and moved thereby,

a-latch for engaging a part of said member, manually operable means for moving the latch, a spring urging the latchtoward said part, and a device engaged by thelatch to disconnect the latter from thegear-moving member during the operation of said means, said latch having a portion which is located in the path of movement of said part of the operated means is held in position for meshing gears, in order that, as the gear-moving member is actuated by the automatic demeshing motion of the gear, said part of the moving member will be engaged by the latch portion under spring pressure tending to prevent movement of the gear-moving ally operable while the manually spiral splines operatedby the'motor, a gear adapted to mesh with an engine gear and slid-ably connected with said splines, a member for. moving the gear and moved thereby, a latch for engaging a part of said member, manually operable means for moving the latch, a-spring urging the latch toward said part, and a stationary cam engaged by the latch to disconnect the latter from the gearmoving member during the motion of said manual means into position to mesh the gears. r

6. An engine starter comprising, in combination, an electric motor, a shaft having spiral splines operated bythe motor, a gear adapted to mesh with an engine gear and slidably connected with said splines, a pedal-- operated lever, a latch-carrying lever, a lever for moving the gear and moved by the gear, a bracket carried by the frame of the motor, a rod carried by the bracket and providing a bearing for all of said levers, a latch pivoted upon the latclrcarrying lever and adapted to be connected normally with a partcarried by the gear-moving lever, a spring connecting the pedal-operated lever and the latch and tending to maintain the latch in engagement with said part of the gear moving lever, a cam engaged by a part ofthe latch during movement thereof to disengage the latch from the gear-moving lever, and a motor switch carried'by the motor frame and operated by the pedal member, said spring yielding in case of gear tooth abutment to permit closing the switch before meshing gears. V r

7. An engine starter comprising,'in combination, an electric motor, means for con necting the motor with the gear of an engine to be started and comprising a motor driven gear and provisions so constructed that operation of the motor completes en- 'agement of the gears after meshing of the gears has been started and so that the gears will be demeshed automatically when the engine becomes self-operative, a member for moving the gear and moved thereby, a latch for engaging a part of said member, m'anumeans for moving the latch, a spring urging the latch toward said part, and a stationary cam engaged by the latch to disconnect the latter from the gear-moving member during the motion of said manual means into position to mesh the gears.

8. An engine starter comprising, in combination, an electric motor, means for connecting the motor with the gear of an engine to be started and comprising a motor driven gear and provisions so constructed that'operation of the motor completes engagement of the gears after meshing of the gears has been started and so that the gears will be demeshed automatically when the en-' gine becomes self-operative, a pedal oper ated' member, a member movable with the moton geaii, a latch carried by one. of the members andnormally engageable with the other member for transmitting motion between the members, and a stationary abutment en'gagetlby' the latch during movement of, the motor ear into mesliwith the engine gear and; operable to move the latch out of engagement with said other. member.

9: Aneng'ine starter comprising, in combination. an electriomotor, mean-s for con.- netting the motor with the gear of an ennine to be started and comprising a motor driiven gear and provisions so-construeted that. operation ofthe motor completes en gagement of the gears astter meshing of the gears has been started and so that: the gears will: be demeshed automatically when the engine becomes self-operative, a pedal operoperated member and normally engageable mitt-mg. motion between the members, a device engagecl by the latch during movement of the motor gear into mesh with the; engine gear and operable to move the latch out of engagement with the gear-moving. member, and a part carried by. the gear-moving, member and engageable with the latch when the pedal operated member is maintained in gear-meehinp; position. i

In testimony whereof I hereto aliix my signature.v

G, BRADFORD.

with the gear-moving member for" trans- V 

